Cattle farm looking to herd veggies in new venture

OLD FORT, N.C.,None — It’s calving season at Ellis Farms.

The family-owned ranch in Old Fort has been busy the past few weeks doubling its herd with the arrival of newborns.

“There are 30 new calves so far,” said Eric Ellis, farm operator. “We have 70 cows, so there’ll be more to come.”

Usually, nature runs its course and calves come into the world without assistance. Every once in a while, however, Eric has to intercede.

“I’ve pulled several calves in my time, but none as of this year,” he said.

Eric, along with his father, Dr. George Ellis, and son, John Eric, run a cow/calf operation on Pine Cove Road. They raise registered Gelbvieh cattle, a German-breed best known for its strong muscle build and maternal characteristics.

“They make great mothers and are an overall friendly animal,” he stated.

Eric and George began raising the Gelbvieh breed in 1993 and are now up to a herd of 160. The local ranchers keep a permanent herd on the farm specifically for calf production, and sell off feeder calves and stocker cattle from the lower end of the calf crop. Once these cattle have been sold, they are transported to feed lots until they are of slaughter weight. Purebred cattle are sold to private enterprises. An operation like that of the Ellis family is a key aspect of the beef industry.

Currently, there are nearly 800,000 cow/calf operators in the U.S., and the demand for cattle is greater than the supply.

“The market is good right now,” Eric stated. “We’re getting $1.40 per pound off steers. The last transaction I made I sold 12 steer at $1,059 a head, which is great.”

In a few weeks, Eric will move eight more steers.

While Ellis Farms does raise and sell cattle, they don’t butcher their own.

“We’ve tried that in the past, but it’s a lot more work, and as of right now, they’re worth more alive,” he said.

Although the money is good, Eric still works a full-time job customizing feed for farms with the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative. His position requires him to travel daily throughout western North Carolina, leaving him little time for farm work. Dad George runs things while he’s away.

Wanting to spend more time on the ranch, Eric’s been looking for ways to supplement income.

“I’ve decided to try my hand at selling vegetable boxes,” he said.

Eric said his operation will be related to a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) business, but with a few notable differences: No upfront investments will be required when preordering boxes; orders are guaranteed each week since several farms are providing produce rather than a single operator; and more fruit and vegetable varieties will be available because of the numerous providers involved.

“Right now, I’m looking for customers who are interested in buying quality produce,” said Eric.” Once the season is in, I will need to sell around 50 boxes each week for this to work. There will be several drop-off locations available to meet customers with their goods.”

He will also grow his own fruits and vegetables to add in the mix.

To help jumpstart his efforts, Eric recently applied for a grant through the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. The application was approved and Ellis Farms was awarded a $6,000 WNC Agricutural Options Grant in January.

“I plan to use this money for marketing,” he stated. “I’ve got a website that’s getting ready to go up, and I need funding for flyers, advertisements and a few other things.”

Eric’s income supplementation will help him phase out of the work force, so there will be more time to spend on the farm.

“I’d like to get the farm into a more sustainable state for the next generation,” he said.

Son, John Eric (and possible future business partner), has already expressed an interest in continuing the family business.

“Yeah, I may want to raise cattle when I’m grown,” John Eric stated. “Right now, I help do chores, and I show my own cows through 4-H. I’m also on the 4-H Judging Team.”

Although he’s only 12 years old and still in middle school, his farm chores are helping him learn the ropes for a future career if he wants it.

Grants like the one received by the Ellis family help keep generation farmers in business.

For more information on partnering with Ellis Farms as a grower or to provide your family with fresh locally grown produce, call Eric at 550-8137. You can also send an email to eatwell@abundantflavor.com.

WSOC